Alabama senator on government shutdown, healthcare and IVF costs

(CBS, KYMA) - Sen. Katie Britt (R-Ala.) spoke with Margaret Brennan on Face the Nation Sunday about the ongoing government shutdown.

"We need to reopen the government. Democrats need to come to the table and do the right thing. Just as I've been traveling the state this weekend, I have heard countless stories of people who are not getting a paycheck, whether it's our men and women in uniform or those who serve alongside them, or whether we're talking to veterans or we're talking to just a number of people. When we're looking what's happening with WIC, there are a lot of people that are being affected by the Democrats playing politics, and they need to actually do what's right, and that is work for the American people. And so getting the government open is number one. So we need to vote on the CR and open the government back up. We've also given alternatives, like end government shutdown, and I think you'll see this week if the Democrats don't come to the table, us saying, look, Shutdown Fairness Act making sure that the people who are working are actually getting paychecks, because Margaret, these have real consequences for American people. And when we're talking about the ACA, look, Leader [John] Thune said it best. We have always said we will have a conversation about this. We believe that you can walk and chew gum at the same time. Democrats, for some reason, don't think that that's possible. They need to come to the table, open the government back up, and then we're happy to have a conversation about the broken system that they created and help them get out of their own mess."

Sen. Katie Britt (R-Ala.)

During the interview, Brennan and Senator Britt talked about healthcare and IVF costs.

According to Brennan, Britt was in the Oval Office last week, where President Donald Trump credited her for explaining the February 2024 decision by an Alabama court ruled that embryos are children, which he called it a "bad decision."

This prompted Brennan to ask Britt, with the changes being announced, who's going to able to afford it now, to which Britt said:

"Millions more people are going to be able to afford this because of President Trump's leadership. From the very first time I talked to him about this, he has been steadfast and unwavering, understanding that there are people from coast to coast that have been praying to be able to start their family or expand their family, and because of infertility, here in the United States, we've seen one in eight families that are actually struggling with infertility issues. We've got about 9% of men, 11% of women who are facing these challenges. President Trump believes in being, obviously, the President that is helping hard working Americans, helping parents, helping families. He's turned the Republican Party into that which is so exciting, and we want to make sure that they're going to be able to do that at a greater scale. And so that's exactly what this will do. Millions more will have access. And additionally, we're going to drive the cost down. And so I talked this weekend, actually with a friend of mine, who came up to me and said, I cannot tell you how much I appreciate this, because the affordability issue was the impediment. And she actually had to go overseas to try to be able to bring life into this world. It's exciting for people like her. And I've had grandparents and parents and moms and dads tell me what a game changer this is for them as they start and grow their family."

Brennan followed up by saying Trump, during his presidential campaign, said he was going to make the government or insurance companies pay for IVF costs, leading her to ask the senator if she thinks the Affordable Care Act (ACA) should cover it, or if it's too controversial for conservatives who have a moral issue with IVF, with Britt saying:

"I mean, the Affordable Care Act is broken, and that is what we're seeing right now. I mean, you've seen the increases that people will see in 2026. 80% of those are just Obamacare, Affordable Care Act related. And so we clearly see that the underlying structure of this program is not sustainable and is not working for the American people. No one is paying less now that Obamacare is in place. And so we've got to be super honest about that. We also have to make sure that we're being responsible moving forward."

To watch more of Brennan's interview with Britt, click here.